In 1938, Aralsk and the Aralsky district became a part of newly formed Kzyl-Orda oblast of Kazakh SSR and turned into the town.

Fort Aralsk was used to launch ships to map the Aral Sea and as a base to attack Ak Mechet.

Aral has greatly diminished in population and socioeconomic significance, resulting in high levels of unemployment.

Household quarantine of potentially exposed individuals was enacted, and hundreds were isolated in a makeshift facility at the edge of the city.

All traffic in and out of the city was stopped, and approximately 54,000 square feet of living space and 18 metric tons of household goods were decontaminated by health officials.

[4] Aral has a cold desert climate (Köppen: BWk; Trewartha: BWac) with frigid winters and hot summers.